The novel S527F mutation in the integrin beta3 chain induces a high affinity alphaIIbbeta3 receptor by hindering adoption of the bent conformation.

Three heterozygous mutations were identified in the genes encoding platelet integrin receptor alphaIIbbeta3 in a patient with an ill defined platelet disorder: one in the beta3 gene (S527F) and two in the alphaIIb gene (R512W and L841M). Five stable Chinese hamster ovary cell lines were constructed expressing recombinant alphaIIbbeta3 receptors bearing the individual R512W, L841M, or S527F mutation; both the R512W and L841M mutations; or all three mutations. All receptors were expressed on the cell surface, and mutations R512W and L841M had no effect on integrin function.

LC/MS/NMR analysis of isomeric divanilloylquinic acids from the root bark of Fagara zanthoxyloides Lam.

Gradient HPLC coupled to DAD/UV, MS/MS and NMR has been applied to the rapid structure determination of three new isomeric divanilloylquinic acids from Fagara zanthoxyloides collected in Burkina Faso: 3,4-O-divanilloylquinic acid, 3,5-O-divanilloylquinic acid and 4,5-O-divanilloylquinic acid. Furthermore these new compounds named burkinabins A-C could play a useful role in sickle cell disease, as the active agents of Fagara zanthoxyloïdes are said to be unidentified aromatic compounds with carboxylic acid grouping (Adesanya, S.A.

Bone marrow stroma damage induced by chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.

Several studies have suggested a role of bone marrow stroma injury in long-term chemotherapy-induced hematopoietic failure. To evaluate whether bone marrow microenvironment is altered by chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and to determine its contribution to postchemotherapy anemia, we investigated the ability of stroma from children receiving maintenance chemotherapy for ALL to support hematopoiesis. Long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC) were established with bone marrow cells either from ALL children under therapy (n = 24) or from control subjects (n = 19).